Multiple electric terminal and insulating board



Jan. 14, 1958 H. w. BATC HELLER 2,320,211

' MULTIPLEIELECTRIC TERMINAL AND INSULATING BOARD Filed April 28, 1955 I I fuzz"- Mawi F LMWQ I MULTIPLE ELECTRIC TERMINAL AND INSULATING BOARD Hugh W. Batcheller, Newton Highlands, Mass., assiguor to Kent Mfg. Corp., Newton, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 28, 1955, Serial No. 504,405

2 Claims. (Cl. 339-198) This invention relates to a multiple electric terminal adapted to make connections with a number of complemental terminal members. In the embodiment of the invention hereinafter described, the terminal members are of the male-and-female type which can easily and quickly be joined to make a good electrical connection.

An object of the present invention is to provide a multiple terminal the parts of which can be easily and cheaply made and which can be quickly assembled. Certain embodiments of the invention are hereinafter described and are illustrated on the drawing, of which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the metal part of a multiple terminal embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a metal part like that in Figure 1 but with fewer terminals;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of an assembled multiple terminal;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention; and

Figure 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

The multiple terminals illustrated on the drawing consist of two parts one of which is of sheet or strip metal, the other part being of insulating material.

The metal part 10 shown in Figure l is made by cutting a blank from sheet metal with tongues 12 projecting symmetrically in opposite directions from a central strip. The blank is then folded upon itself along the longitudinal median 14. Each tongue 12 is reversely bent so that substantial portions thereof are in spaced parallel planes which are parallel to the plane of the doubled portion 16 of the device adjacent to the fold 14.

The metal piece 10 is easily assembled with the base or body member 20 which has a longitudinally extending groove 22 therein fitted by the doubled portion 16 of the metal member. Since when the device is in use, there will be at times considerable tension imposed on the metal member tending to separate it from the insulating base, the metal piece should be securely anchored in the groove 22. This may be done by bending or curling outward selected margin or edge portions 24 of the doubled part 16. These form barbs inclined slightly with reite States Patent 0 2,820,211 Patented Jan. 14, 1958 spect to the plane of the doubled part and extending away from the line of fold to press into the walls of the groove 22 and lock the metal part 10 in place. The lips 24 are constructed to act like pawls, permitting easy inward movement of the doubled portion 16 of the metal member into the groove, and strongly resisting any movement of the metal member in the opposite direction. In Figure 1, such lips are shown at the ends of the doubled portion 16, but similar lips can be formed between successive pairs of tongues 12 in addition to or instead of the lips shown.

Any number of pairs of tongues 12 may be included in a multiple terminal four pairs being shown by way of example in Figure 1. A single pair of tongues 12 is on the member shown in Figure 2.

The body 20 of insulation on which the metal member 10 is mounted may have upstanding walls 30, preferably integral with the body and extending up beyond the tongues 12 to protect the tongues and to act as a guard against accidental contact with the tongues. Since in an installation the tongues may be and usually are charged, this latter function is important. However, the side walls may be omitted if desired and a base or body member 32 may be provided to receive an integral multiple metal member similar to the member 10, with the same number of tongues or more or less. One or more units like that shown in Figure 2 may be inserted in the groove.

The terminal members 12 as shown are simple tongues adapted to cooperate with complemental terminal or connector members 34, but other varieties of interengaging terminal or connector members can be employed.

I claim:

1. A multiple electric terminal comprising a metal member consisting of a piece of sheet metal folded upon itself to form a doubled portion along the line of fold, the portions more remote from the line of fold being shaped to form a plurality of terminal tongues offset from the plane of said doubled portion, said member having a plurality of barbs projecting from said doubled portion away from the line of fold and inclined with respect to the plane of the doubled portion, and a body of insulating material with a groove in which said doubled portion is fitted, said barbs engaging in the side walls of the groove to prevent removal of the metal member from the insulating body.

2. A multiple electric terminal as in claim 1, said body of insulating material having upstanding side walls extending beyond the ends of said tongues to surround and shield said tongues.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,039,957 Hall May 5, 1936 2,463,826 Thacker Mar. 8, 1949 2,644,146 Dupre June 30, 1953 2,694,189 Wirsching Nov. 9, 1954 

